General Chao - Chatswood

General Chao is a sleek modern Chinese restaurant located in the heart of Chatswood CBD, with an impressive fusion menu that spans across a few Asian countries. They also offer innovative cocktails and an extensive range of spirits, making it easy to toast to any celebrations.<br/ <br/ The prawn toast and the ravioli laksa are must try dishes.

Last week I slid in for a quiet midweek dinner at General Chao in the Chatswood Interchange.It opened last year amidst considerable fanfare, attracting much cooing from the usual canapes-for-comment, rent-a-crowd, most impressed by the eye-catching décor featuring Shanghai girls in cool blues and greens. Sitting somewhere in-between the hawker-inspired outlets that make up the bulk of District Dining, and a standalone restaurant, it achieves its sense of separation by tucking the dining space and private dining areas around the corner from the main thoroughfare. Peering through shibari-style window bondage, diners can...

The food is awesome fusion Asian with funky and delicious flavors. Service is good too. Do try the lemongrass pork gyoza and tea dumplings they were delicious.

Fusion food that makes dessert stand out. Overall a bit unsure of its direction.<br/ <br/ The banana fritter deep fried with egg noodle and served with coffee caramel and ginger ice cream was the best dish, and indeed best Asian fusion dessert I have ever tried. Any south East Asian will akin it to “goreng pisang” or fried banana with a nice twist. The Thai green curry was neither sweet nor savory, hot nor cold and left us wondering whether it was better served as a main or dessert. <br/ <br/ The meat skewer dishes were done quite well, I enjoyed the chicken and the beef. The chicken, butterflied and grilled such that it was as bouncy as thigh. The marbling from the beef resulted in a unique tenderness I don’t think I’ve ever experienced. I especially liked that the fat content wasn’t as prominent as some Asian beefs like a Kobe but was instead finely infused. <br/ <br/ The special fried rice had too much going on and was more ingredient than rice. <br/ <br/ The “Yee sang” a take on the Lunar new year dish that we toss was not authentic, using things like broad beans and corn instead of the usual pickled vegetables. I did not like how the waitress explained the dish as “only the head of the table tossing it to bring good luck” this is a communal activity done by all<br/ <br/

What a treat it was to be part of this glamorous event! The official opening party of General Chao, in Chatswood’s busy Asian-influenced District Dining, just beside the station. This is a very stylish venue – a big space, where the bar on one side is decorated with striking Asian artwork and the seating area is focused around an open kitchen.